This autumn our TV screens will be set alight by a new generation of talented actresses. Here we present the brightest faces that have bagged the best roles

Claire Foy, 26, from Buckinghamshire, graduated last year from the Oxford School of Drama and will soon hit our screens as Little Dorrit in the 14-part BBC1 dramatisation of the Dickens novel, which starts next month, and also stars Tom Courtenay and James Fleet.

I WAS BORN TO ACT BECAUSE… I was always an attention seeker: I used to put on shows at home and rope in cousins. Eternal were the band of the day, so when we didn’t have a play to perform we’d dress up in our best Tammy Girl clothes and prance around to one of their hits. I like to think it showed a creative streak.

THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS… the people. We filmed Little Dorrit over five months, and the cast and crew became like a big family. You realise that actors you’ve admired for ages, like Matthew Macfadyen, are just normal, lovely people. The worst bit was having to let my eyebrows grow out – I was told that Little Dorrit would never have plucked hers!

MY IDEAL LEADING MAN WOULD BE… Matthew Macfadyen – how much luckier could a girl get? I’d also love to act with Ben Whishaw – the Brit actor of the moment. Also, the ‘old school’ screen actor Montgomery Clift – my quirky choice – oh, and George Clooney.

THE REAL CHALLENGE FOR ME HAS BEEN… acting for TV. Theatre was always my aim, and I was lucky enough to perform at the National Theatre in London this year, but I’ve loved filming for TV. The only problem is that you don’t really get taught about it at drama school, so I feel I’ve been learning as I go along. But I hope with Little Dorrit I’ve got it right.

Breathe (2017)

Character: DianaDirector: Andy SerkisStatus: In ProductionSynopsis: Based on the true story of Robin (Garfield), a handsome, brilliant and adventurous man whose life takes a dramatic turn when polio leaves him paralyzed.

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The Crown (TV) (2016)

Character: Queen Elizabeth IIDirector: Peter Morgan (created by)Status: Now streaming on NetflixSynopsis: The Crown focuses on Queen Elizabeth II as a 25-year-old newlywed faced with the daunting prospect of leading the world's most famous monarchy while forging a relationship with legendary Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The British Empire is in decline, the political world is in disarray, and a young woman takes the throne....a new era is dawning. Peter Morgan's masterfully researched scripts reveal the Queen's private journey behind the public facade with daring frankness. Prepare to be welcomed into the coveted world of power and privilege and behind locked doors in Westminster and Buckingham Palace....the leaders of an empire await.

Wolf Hall (TV) (2015)

Character: Anne BoleynDirector: Peter KosminskyStatus: Aired 2015 on BBC2Synopsis: Wolf Hall chronicles the life of Thomas Cromwell, based on the book series by Hilary Mantel. Witness Cromwell's rise of power in the Tudor household run by King Henry VIII.

The Lady in the Van (2015)

Character: LoisDirector: Nicholas HytnerStatus: Now on Blu-ray, DVD & StreamingSynopsis: The Lady in the Van tells the true story of Alan Bennett's strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in the 1970s before allowing her temporarily to park her Bedford van in the driveway of his Camden home.